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Tuesday, 21 October 2014

More Indian Than You Think

The best, and I repeat, the BEST experience of Indianness abroad, for me, was in Singapore. So, we were in Mustafa Centre, just shopping randomly as tourists always do (we just love disrupting the daily lives of people) and we reached the section of untensils. The sibling and I, knowing it wasn't our territory, went off in another direction only to be called back. Actually, squealed back, by a very excited Amma. You will not guess what we found. A coffee filter. In Singapore. Actually, a mini-coffee filter. Coffee filters are not available in Mumbai. Also, they are rarely found in South India (my parents checked). And we found it there.

http://www.worldmarket.com/product/ss-indian-coffee-cup-set-and-f.do

The product to the left is the coffee filter and we found it in a golden colour.

On a different note, while Indians are celebrating Valentine's Day, Women's Day, Sister's Day, Brother's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day and every other just-one-day-to-celebrate-this-because-we-are-too-lazy-to-do-it-all-year Day, the West has more of the following dialogues-
"Why do you need a card for this? This is complete commercialization!"
"Children celebrating Valentine's Day? This is nuts! No! You need to study like those kids in India and China so you can make money out of these cards and not be a victim to it!"
It's funny how they are trying to ape us more and more! Proud to be an Indian moment, please!

While we here in India have mushrooming of gyms just about anywhere (Yes, "Gyms" or as I like to call them "Akhadas"- Hindi for gym, well, a makeshift gym) and the introduction of soul cycle and zumba and what not, the West is taking to the yoga pants and the yoga mats. We? We are just taking to the yoga pants to join the spinning class that just opened up near my place and costs a kidney to join. Yay!

We here in India are opting for Pumps and Stilettos. All that while we are just one step away from getting the heel stuck in between the tiles laid out as a poor excuse for a sidewalk.

And do I even need to make a mention of the Indian headshake? Is it a yes, a no, a don't know? Foreigners are surprised, shocked and awed at the nod that we make and learn it to perfection. I have seen my friend learn it well and communicate effectively with just a nod. Does it get any better?